GSMArena smartphone shopping guide: June 2014

Under €100

Soon after we started writing our shopping guides we gave up on feature phones - it's hard to recommend one when there's a old, cheap smartphone at the same price. A smartphone OS means you get more functionality and can actually save money - something like Viber or Skype can handle free messages and calls, while a navigation app can replace a dedicated SatNav unit.

Note that all phones listed here have 3G connectivity and they typically have microSD card slots too (unless otherwise noted). We'll only be listing the standout features.

Our penny-pincher offer is the Samsung Galaxy Pocket Neo. It has just enough hardware to get you in the game - a 3" QVGA (240 x 320) screen, 850MHz processor and 512MB RAM. It runs a relatively recent version OS, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and has 4GB of built-in storage so you can actually install multiple apps. Some cheap offerings of the past came with only 512MB storage, which ran out very fast.

The 2MP camera with QVGA video capture is barely there, but a similarly priced Nokia Asha won't have much better. But with a feature phone you won't get Google Maps for offline navigation.

Thrifty shoppers know that some relatively small local brands can be real gems. Europe-based Wiko offers phones like the Ozzy, which has a sharper 3.5" HVGA screen (320 x 480) and a much faster dual-core Corex-A7 processor at 1GHz.

The Wiko Ozzy runs a slightly newer version of Android (4.2 Jelly Bean) and is a dual-SIM phone (that's an option on the Pocket Neo). The camera department is better too, the 2MP camera shoots 864 x 480 video and there's a VGA front-facing camera to boot.

The LG L40 bears a more recognizable brand name for a slightly higher price tag. It deserves every penny though, the 3.5" HVGA screen is an IPS LCD for better viewing angles and is protected by Gorilla Glass 2. The dual-core A7 processor is clocked at 1.2GHz and it runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Also, the main camera is a 3MP shooter. There's an LG L40 Dual for those who need dual-SIM connectivity, but we had troubles finding that version in stores so availability may be limited.

The Nokia Lumia 520 has become a fixture of the "Under €100" category. With good reason too, a 4" WVGA screen and dual-core Krait processor, which can't be matched for power in this price range. It's an IPS screen with scratch-resistant glass too.

It's also only one of two phones listed here that shoot 720p video, the 5MP camera is fairly good too. Some also enjoy the novelty of Windows Phone and don't forget about the free SatNav by HERE Maps.

Keep in mind that the US the Nokia Lumia 520 can be found dirt cheap, while European promotions are more restrained but there are still great deals to be had.

The Motorola Moto G is an alternative to the Nokia Lumia 520 if you find the right promotion. In the US it gets as low as $50, but don't expect anything close to that in other countries.

Still, it's one of the cheapest phones you can get with a 720p screen, a 4.5" IPS LCD with Gorilla Glass 3 no less. It also has a quad-core Cortex-A7 processor and a 5MP / 720p camera.

While it sounds like a proper dream phone, the promos are usually for the 8GB version, which we find way too limiting. At $50 we wouldn't even blink but for non-US residents we'll revisit the Moto G at a different price point with better storage.